Homecoming
by Engage Fiction
Summary: More Than a Lifetime MTAL story 2 the first is Delta Wild. Dani Janeway returns to the AQ with Voyager, and things heat up with an family friend. repost
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Story #2 in the "More Than a Lifetime" series

Author's Note: This story is the second in a series of stories that do not follow canon and should not be taken as such. The events in this story occur in an alternate universe in which Chakotay's stint with the Maquis happened much earlier in his life. He is married to Kathryn Janeway, and they have a daughter. In this universe, Voyager did not combine with a crew from a Maquis ship, but instead reached the Delta Quadrant with a small loss of life and most of her crew in tact. The events of "First Contact" and "Insurrection" have already occurred in this timeline, but "Nemesis" has not.

xxx

19 year-old Dani Janeway looked around her quarters. It was hard to believe that it wouldn't be long until she would be back in her bed on Earth. _Her old bed. At home._ For some reason, that phrase felt foreign now. She _was_ at home. _Voyager_ had been her home for seven years, the whole last half of her childhood. Just like everyone else on board _Voyager_, she was overjoyed at the thought of knowing that they had finally made it back to Earth, but part of her wished she could stay on the ship. She would miss her time on _Voyager_ and the excitement of not knowing what the day was going to bring. But then again, she was happy that her family wouldn't have to face danger every time they turned the corner.

_The whole latter part of her childhood._ In a few weeks she would be turning 20. Officially, she would be an adult, although unofficially, she had been one for years. Her experiences on _Voyager_ had forced her to grow up much faster than others her age had. She didn't regret it, though. She was a better person for it.

But what if she wasn't ready to enter the world? After all, she had only been twelve when she'd been catapulted from the Alpha Quadrant. Had things changed much? Even if they hadn't, she hadn't ever lived as an adult before she'd left. How was she to know what to expect?

That's where her parents came in. They'd help her. She thanked her lucky stars that they hadn't been lost in the Delta Quadrant, though there had been many times when she was sure they were goners. There'd been plenty of times when she thought she'd been a goner, herself. But they'd all made it through, and now it was time to move on. Her next step: Starfleet Academy. If everything went as planned, she'd enter in the fall and begin her studies at the Academy with an emphasis on medicine. But she couldn't get ahead of herself. She hadn't taken the first entrance exam, yet. It was March, now. The written exam wouldn't be given until May. In all truth, it wasn't passing the exams that she was worried about. She knew she would pass the written exam, and the interview wouldn't be a problem. She just wanted to make sure that she would get in on her own merit, and not because of who her mother or father or grandfather were.

Dani took one last look around the barren room before finally leaving. She looked around the living room as she passed through, and a thousand nostalgic memories flooded her consciousness. She didn't dare reminisce for too long, however, because she knew that if she did, she would never leave. She walked out the doors of the quarters, abandoning one life for another.

xxx

The next night, Starfleet threw a celebratory ball for _Voyager's_ crew. Even though it was a formal event, the purpose for the occasion was so unique that all officers were permitted to dress in attire other than their dress uniforms, and most did. Most of the women, including Dani's mother, Kathryn Janeway, wore formal gowns. Dani wore a sleeveless two-piece made of white satin. Most of the men wore formal suits. Like some of the women, some of the male officers opted for the formal dress uniform. A few even wore old-fashioned tuxedos, one of those few being Tom Paris. That was expected of him, he was such a history buff. The surprise of the evening was that Tom had talked Chakotay into sporting the traditional black and white outfit, too.

Despite all the friends she'd made while she was on _Voyager_, there wasn't really anyone here she could talk to tonight. She looked around the room. She didn't really know anyone here, except those from _Voyager_, and they had already integrated into the party, mixing and mingling with old Starfleet buddies or long lost family members whom they hadn't seen in seven years. This was one of the few times she wished her mother would take command and start dragging her to different groups. As if it were an answer to her prayer, Dani saw her mother walking toward her. She watched the long dress flow about her as she glided across the room. The royal blue gown she was wearing really brought out her eyes.

"Dani," her mother was saying, "I have to re-introduce you to so many people."

"'Re-introduce?'" Dani asked.

"Yes," said Kathryn, taking her daughter's arm. "It's been so long since they last saw you. Just look at it like a big family reunion."

Kathryn led her daughter to the large crowd she had been apart of. This was obviously the party's hotspot. This was something her parents had prepared her for. _Voyager's_ crew members had become celebrities the moment they'd sent their first transmission to Starfleet Headquarters from the Delta Quadrant. That status had exploded the moment they actually reached the Alpha Quadrant, and it was just outrageous by the time they'd reached Earth. Kathyrn and Chakotay had been so concerned, they had wondered if Dani would benefit more by delaying taking the entrance exams for the Academy a year or two. But Dani was adamant about taking the exams as soon as possible, and her parents relented.

Now, Dani wondered if her parents hadn't been right in making that suggestion to delay testing. As she and her mother approached the group, everyone turned to stare at her. There had to be 20 or 30 people at least standing around them.

"Everyone," Kathryn announced, "I'd like you to say hello to my daughter, Danielle."

"Dani?" one man said, closing the space between himself and Dani. He sounded surprised. "This is little Dani?"

Dani studied the man's face. It was familiar, in more way than one. He was an older gentleman, around 60 or so, with blue eyes...

"Dani, you remember Admiral Paris," her mother said.

That was how she knew him! This was Tom's old man.

A smile broke out on Dani's face. "Of course. Your son taught me how to fly a shuttle."

"Learning from the best, I see," the admiral said, a twinkle of pride in his eyes.

"My mother wouldn't stand for anything less." Dani looked at the faces in the group. She realized now that she did, in fact, recognize a great number of them. Colonel Kira Nerys, from Deep Space Nine; Ambassador Spock; Captain Montgomery Scott; Captain Morgan Bateson. She remembered meeting most of these people in the course of her life. It was part of the experience of being a Starfleet brat. Her scan of the group brought her to Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the Enterprise, and his second-in-command, Commander William Riker. She knew Riker, alright. She'd had a crush on him since she was 11. If one thing had remained the same while she was in the Delta Quadrant, it was most definitely that.

"Well, well, well," the commander said to Dani, "I see someone's grown up. How old are you now?"

"I'll be 20 in two weeks," Dani replied.

"Typical teenager reply..." Will said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dani asked.

"Just what I said. Whenever you ask teenager her age, she always tells you how old she'll be on her next birthday," Will explained. "Like it actually makes a difference."

Dani looked up at the tall, bearded man and instantly remembered how her crush on him had developed in the first place. "It does sometimes, like when your birthday's only two weeks away."

"Maybe..."

"So...I hear you crashed a starship while I was away," Dani said matter-or- factly.

"More like totalled," Will corrected.

"I bet Captain Picard hasn't let you drive his knew toy, yet, has he?"

"He has."

"While he was off the ship or just off-duty?"

Will didn't say anything. He just stared down at this beautiful young woman who used to be the cute little girl he'd always joked around with. "Would you like to dance?"

Dani looked up into Will's impossibly blue eyes. "Okay."

Dani and Will left the group largely unnoticed and moved to a large open area in the middle of the room. It wasn't until after they'd started dancing that Dani realized that there wasn't anyone else out there with her and Will.

"No one else is dancing," she observed.

"Does it really matter?" Will asked.

"I don't guess it does."

Chakotay nudged Kathryn with his elbow. When she looked up at him, he nodded at Will and Dani. Kathryn followed his gaze to the unlikely couple, the only couple on the dance floor.

"Well," Kathryn said, "it seems like she's found someone to keep her occupied."

"That's what I was afraid of," Chakotay said. "It was different when she was younger. Now..."

"You're worried about his intentions," Kathryn suggested.

"Aren't you? Riker is known for being a bit of a ladies' man."

"I'm not going to lie to you; I am...concerned, but whether we like it or not, she's not a defenseless little girl. She's a young woman. I think she's old enough to make her own decisions."

Kathryn looked up at Chakotay. "She's never let us down before," he said. "I don't see any reason for her to start now."

So, the social gathering wore on through the night. Things had certainly changed for Dani. She'd spent the better part of the evening with Will and his circle of friends. Even though they were all scores older than she, herself, she had fun just the same. It was much better than standing alone by the punch table all night. Before she knew it, the party was ending, and it was about time to go.

"My parents are giving me that it's-late-and-we're-ready-to-go look, so I guess I'll give them a break," Dani said, observing her parents. They were lingering near the exit, looking dead at her. It wasn't unreasonable, though. The party was winding down, and most of the guests were preparing to leave..

Dani looked up at Will. "I had a great time tonight, thanks to you."

"I'm glad to hear it," Will said. "I hope this won't be the last time."

Dani pondered these words for a moment before answering. Either he was just being nice, or he was asking her out. "I'm sure it won't."

"When are you going back to Indiana?" Will inquired.

"As soon as all this investigation stuff is done," Dani replied. "Probably another few weeks. Until then, we're staying in an apartment building not too far from Headquarters. That's where they've got most of us."

"Oh," Will said. "Well, I'll keep in touch."

Dani smiled. "Good. See you around."

"Bye." Will watched as Dani turned and walked across the room to her parents. She turned and looked back at him as she was walking out the door. Chakotay followed. He caught Will's eye and did not look at all happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next night, Dani was in her room (at the apartment provided by Headquarters, of course) reading a magazine when her computer beeped and announced, "Incoming Transmission."

"If this is another long lost relative..." Dani said, rolling off of her bed and walking over to her desk. She sat down and read the transmission information. She was surprised to find that the transmission was from Will Riker. Almost immediately, she accessed it. Will's image instantly appeared on the screen.

"Hello," Dani greeted.

"Hey," Will said.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise," Dani said.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No," Dani assured. "I was just trying to catch up on all the magazines I missed while I was gone. It seems that even after all these years, they never terminated my subscription."

Will chuckled. "I guess they don't lie when they say 'guaranteed delivery.'"

Dani smiled. "I guess not. Anyway, I've got about 50 issues left."

"Oh, well, if you're busy-"

"No - I need a break anyway. So, what sparks this transmission?"

"Well, I was thinking about the party last night, and how we were talking about how I hoped it wouldn't be the last time we would be able to do something together," Will said.

"Mm-hmm..."

"And I was wondering when we could make good on that," Will concluded.

'He _was_ asking me out,' Dani thought, recalling the conversation she'd had with Will the previous night. 'Oh, my-'

"Were you serious about that, or just being cordial?" Will asked, interrupting Dani's thoughts.

"I could ask you the same thing," Dani said, "except I already know your answer since you're the one who brought it up." 'I hope I do,' Dani silently added.

"What's your answer?" Will asked, again interrupting Dani's thought processes.

"I was serious," Dani revealed. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Will breathe a small sigh of relief. "Am I wrong in assuming that you're glad to hear that?"

"No. In fact, glad is an understatement. I'm damn near giddy."

"Good," Dani said.

"Okay."

This unbearable silence followed. Dani was grateful when Will finally broke it.

"So, I was thinking that maybe we could have lunch," he said.

"Lunch?" Dani repeated

"Yeah."

"Um...okay."

Will eyed her cautiously. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Dani assured him. "No. I just wasn't expecting-"

"It won't be anything formal, if that's what you're worried about. It just be a little...sit-down-get-reacquainted kind of thing."

Something suddenly dawned on Dani - the media. If she went out in public, during the day, especially, the media would eat her alive. She, along with every member of the _Voyager_ crew, had become instant celebrities since their return to Earth. And if they realized that she was on a date? With a famous Starfleet commander, such as Will - they would have field day.

Dani's feelings must've been apparent to Will.

"I'll make sure no one bothers us," he said. "I can have security positioned throughout and around the restaurant. No reporters, no cameras. It could just be the two of us. If that's what you want."

Her answer told him all he needed to know. "Of course we can have lunch. I'd love to. When and where?"

"Well, I wanted to let you be the one to make that decision. I didn't know what the schedule for the briefings was."

"The sooner the better."

"Would tomorrow be okay?" Will asked.

"Sure," Dani agreed.

"Around one?"

"Okay."

"Your parents won't have any problem with this, will they?" Will inquired.

"Why would they? They never had any problem with it before."

Will inclined his head and laughed nervously. "I think this is a little different."

"I know," Dani acquiesced. "But if they don't make an issue out of it, I certainly won't."

"That'll work for me." That big smile that Dani had been dying to see for seven years spread across Will's bearded face. It made her smile as well. "I'll see you then," Will added.

"Bye," Dani bid the charming commander.

"Riker out," Will said, terminating the transmission.

Dani deactivated her terminal. She couldn't believe it. She actually had a date with Will Riker.

"Oh, my..." Dani said standing. She started walking around her room. "I've got so much to do. I've got to get a dress, I-" She stopped mid- pace. "Wait a minute - no I don't. Nothing formal. This is just a casual dinner. It's not even dinner; it's lunch. I don't need to dress up. But I don't need to dress down, either. Ohhh!"

"Dani?"

Dani turned to see that her mother had appeared in her open doorway.

"What's the matter?" Kathryn asked her daughter as she walked into the room.

"I can't decide what to wear for my date tomorrow," Dani revealed. She walked over to the replicator and started searching the terminal for possible outfits.

"Date?" This piqued Kathryn's interest. _Voyager_ hadn't even been back a week, and her daughter already had a date? With who, she wondered.

"Yeah," Dani said. "Will and I are having lunch tomorrow." A blue blouse and black slacks appeared on the console. She cleared it and moved to the next outfit.

"You and Will?"

"Yeah."

"Any special occasion?"

"No," Dani replied casually. "Just a casual thing. You know, to get reacquainted."

"Oh."

Dani turned off the replicator console in frustration. "I can't do this tonight. I'll just throw something on. It won't matter." She turned to her mother. "Was there something you wanted to talk about it?"

"Uh, no. Not really. I just wanted to let you know that your father and I would be in briefing all tomorrow."

"No," Dani protested. "I was hoping we could all spend the day in the city."

"I know, Sweetheart, and I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it."

"We've been here for three days, and I haven't even had one meal with you guys."

"Dani, I'm so sorry."

"Will you be here for dinner?" Dani asked hopefully.

Kathryn looked at Dani and painfully said, "I can't make any guarantees." Dani looked at the ground. "Look, after all this is over, and we get back to Indiana, we'll do anything you want. But right now, this comes first."

"I understand, Mom," Dani said. "I was just hoping that we would get to spend a little time together."

"I know," Kathryn said. "And maybe we will. We just have to get this taken care of first."

"Of course."

Kathryn walked over to her daughter. "Look at you. I can't believe it."

"What?"

"When this whole mess started, you were only twelve, and now look at you. You'll be twenty in a few weeks. I'm so proud of you." It looked as if she were going to cry.

"Oh, Mom," Dani said, hugging Kathryn. "Don't cry."

"I love you so much," Kathryn said.

"I love you, too, Mom."

"I'm so sorry you had to spend your teenage years stuck on a starship."

"I wouldn't change it for the world." She and Kathryn looked at each other and embraced again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Dani sprinkled a little pepper on her chicken alfredo. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had real chicken alfredo?" She asked. She gathered some on her fork and guided it into her mouth. "Mmm," she moaned. "Just like I remember it."

Dani and Will were having lunch at Luigi's, a restaurant they used to dine at when Dani was younger. Will sat across from Dani in his uniform. Dani had finally decided on a nice yellow sundress.

"You mean you haven't had this in seven years?" Will asked. He gathered a helping of his own chicken alfredo and shoveled it into his mouth.

"Well," Dani began after she had finished chewing, "Neelix tried his hand at it once, but it didn't quite turn out as desired. And you know replicated food never tastes as good as the real thing. So I guess I haven't had it."

"I couldn't imagine it," Will said. "So, how did you end up on _Voyager_ anyway?" Will asked, taking another sip of his drink. "I didn't think _Voyager_ was supposed to house civilians."

"It wasn't. And I wasn't supposed to be on board. I sneaked onboard."

Will nearly choked on his drink. "You what?"

"I sneaked onboard. It was a stupid thing to do, I know."

"You're damn right, it was stupid," Will accosted. "Do you know how much trouble stowaways can get into?"

"I know. I've already had this lecture. From both parents. My mother says they aren't bringing charges against me."

Will softened a bit. "I can't say I blame them. Seven years away from Earth against your own will...that's punishment enough."

"I was just a kid. I was looking for adventure. I didn't know what I was doing." Dani twirled some pasta around her fork playfully. "I'm kind of glad I was onboard, though. I don't think I could have made it through seven years without my parents. And it wasn't all bad. We had some good times, too." She allowed her mind to wander back to _Voyager_ for a moment before pulling herself back from the past. She looked at Will. "You know, I still haven't gotten used to these new uniforms, yet."

"Just like I haven't gotten used to seeing you as a woman," Will said.

Dani could feel herself blush. "The change isn't that dramatic, Will."

"You don't see it because you've seen yourself everyday. I haven't. You left a girl and came back...astonishing."

"So, what are you saying? I was an ugly kid?"

"No," said Will, laughing. "No. Not at all. You were cute as a button. But now...man, the guys are gonna get a look at you and go wild."

At that one statement, Dani felt like someone had just kicked her chair out from under her. He wasn't interested in her, at least not romantically. Not if he was talking about how other guys were going to react to her.

'What were you expecting?' Dani asked herself. 'You really thought he would be interested in you? Did you forget about Counselor Troi, dummy?'

She didn't hear anything else he said until Will called her back from where ever she'd been.

"Dani?" Will said. "Dani? Are you okay?" Dani turned her attention back to Will.

'Pull it together, Dani,' she thought to herself. 'It's rejection; deal with it. Well, no - it's not really rejection, if no one-'

"You look a little under the weather," Will said. He looked worried.

Dani blinked a few times. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I can take you back to your apartment, if you want," Will offered.

"No." Dani pasted a smile on her face. "I'm fine, really."

"Right," Will said. "Well, anyway, I was thinking that maybe Saturday, we could go play tennis at the Academy."

"Yeah, that'd be great," Dani said. "But I've got to warn you - I'm a little out of practice. I haven't played in a few weeks."

"A few weeks? I haven't played in a few years."

"Well, then, we should be evenly matched. You'd probably be a lot better than me if you played as often as I did. You're probably still loads better than I am."

"I guess the only way to see will be when we play on Saturday."

"Right."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Dani entered the security code to the apartment. The doors slid open. "Come on in," she said, stepping inside.

"Are you sure your parents won't mind?" Will asked.

"They won't," Dani replied. "How can they when they're not here?" Will gave her a wary look. "They're at Headquarters," she assured him.

Will was still standing right outside the door. "Come in," Dani urged. Will cautiously stepped into the living room. The apartment doors slid shut behind him. "Have a seat."

Will sat on the sofa as Dani walked into the kitchen. It was a bright, pleasant Saturday afternoon. Dani had just finished beating Will in an invigorating 3-set match at the Academy courts that morning. They were now at the apartment Dani and her family had been provided with for the duration of Starfleet's briefings of _Voyager's_ mission. It was anyone's guess how long the entire ordeal would take.

"This is a nice place," Will said.

"Thanks," Dani said walking into the kitchen. "It's not exactly home, but I guess I can't complain. It's not a starship in the Delta Quadrant, either. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thanks," Will replied.

"I'm surprised," Dani said. She ordered a glass of ice water from the replicator and watched the clear beverage materialize. Once it had, she picked it up and joined Will in the living room. "With the way I had you running all over that court, I would have thought that you'd be dying of thirst."

Will smiled. "Yes, I've got to give it to you - you were better than I anticipated. Let's just say I softened my game a bit."

"Softened your game?"

"I had to. It was an unfair match. You against me? I have a physical advantage over you," Will explained.

"Is that so?"

Will nodded.

"So, I guess that's an invite for a rematch?"

"If you say so."

Dani sipped her water. "We'll see," she said.

The apartment doors slid open, and Kathryn and Chakotay entered. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Will Riker sitting in the living room.

"Well, hello," Kathryn said. Dani and Will both looked at the new arrivals.

Will stood. So did Dani. "Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay," he said. "Your daughter just finished beating me two sets to one in tennis."

"Will insists that he let up on me because he has an unfair physical advantage," Dani said. She was on her way to the kitchen to dispose of her empty glass. "I think that's just a bunch of hogwash. I've played against guys your size and larger."

"Mere holodeck creations," Will said.

"Images of tennis greats," Dani said returning to the living room.

"Images that you can alter to your own specifications," Will argued playfully.

"But didn't," Dani countered.

Will turned to Dani's parents. "Can you vouch for this?"

"She beats me every time," Kathryn said. "That's not saying much, though."

"We'll see," Will said. "I trust the briefings are going well."

"You could say that. I'd really like to be done with this whole mess."

"I know what you mean. After the Enterprise-D crashed, I didn't think the briefings would ever end."

"Well, I get the feeling that the board won't need us for very much longer. At least I hope."

Will noticed that Chakotay was being awfully quiet. He didn't look particularly mad. To tell the truth, he didn't look particularly anything. He didn't have any distinct expression. 'Maybe that's a good thing,' Will thought. "It'll be over with before you know it," he said. "I hate to run, but I'm supposed to meet Captain Picard for lunch."

"Oh, yes," Kathryn said. "I know how Jean-Luc hates to be kept waiting."

"We'll see about that tennis rematch," Will said to Dani as he walked to the door.

"All I know is that you'd better not let up on me when we play again," Dani said. "If you give it your all next time, you might not lose so horribly."

Will smiled at Dani. He looked at Janeway and Chakotay. "Captain, Commander."

"Goodbye, Commander," Kathryn said, as Will left the apartment. As soon as the doors shut behind Will, Dani found two pairs of eyes on her.

"What?" Dani asked.

"You've been spending a lot of time with the commander," said Chakotay, speaking up for the first time.

"We're just catching up," Dani said. "We've missed seven years' worth of joking around.

"Dani, Commander Riker is a very busy man," Chakotay continued.

"Maybe, but he's the one who invited me to go play tennis," Dani said. "And he's the one who invited me to have dinner with him tomorrow night."

"Dinner?" Kathryn and Chakotay exclaimed, moreso than asked, in unison.

"Yeah," Dani said slowly. "You know - it's the meal you usually eat at night."

Both parents ignored this jibe. Kathryn took a step towards Dani. "Dani, tomorrow, your father and I were hoping that we could have dinner as a family. We were finally going to be free of the briefings, and we figured it'd be perfect timing for meal together."

"Oh. Mom, if I'd known before I made the commitment..." An idea hit Dani. "I'll tell you what - I'll invite Will, and we can all have dinner." She saw her parents exchange glances. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

"No," Kathryn said. "Not at all."

Dani beamed. "Great! I'll call Will, and let him know about the change in plans." She left for her room.

Chakotay looked at his wife. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" he asked.

"Why would it be wrong?" Kathryn questioned.

"It just seems as if we're encouraging this relationship," Chakotay replied.

"Is there a blatant reason why we shouldn't be?"

Chakotay didn't have an answer for his wife. For some reason, this developing relationship between his daughter and the Enterprise's first officer didn't sit well with him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Damn!" Kathryn said. She stared in dismay at the burnt pot roast. Before, she could blame it on _Voyager's_ replicators. Now, there was no excuse. She just couldn't cook.

"What's the matter?" Dani inquired, joining her mother at the replicator. Her question was answered when she saw the smoking pot of meat. "Oh. Well, we didn't really need the pot roast, anyway. We've got plenty."

The door chimed. Chakotay, who was setting the table, looked at the door and then at Dani and Kathryn.

"That's Will," Dani said. She looked at the pot roast. "Put that in the recycler." She walked over to the door and pressed the button that would open it. The doors slid open to reveal Will Riker.

"Hi," Dani said.

"Good evening," Will said.

"Come in," Dani said stepping to the side.

Will stepped into the apartment. The doors slid shut behind him. When he saw that Chakotay was still setting the table, he thought that he might've gotten the time wrong. "Am I early?" he asked.

"No," Dani said. "Everything's ready. Dad's just finishing up the table. No, you're right on time." She spied the bottle in Will's hands. "What's this?"

"Well, I felt the need to bring something," Will said. He handed the bottle to Dani. She studied the bottle and looked up at him. "Champagne?"

"Syntheholic champagne," Will said. "Wouldn't want anyone to feel left out."

"Thanks for your consideration. I'll go put it on some ice. Have a seat."

Dani left for the kitchen. Will sat on the couch. Once Chakotay had finished setting the last of the silverware out, he decided to join Will in the living room.

"Hello," Chakotay said, sinking into a nearby chair.

"Goodevening, Commander," Will said. "Everything going okay?"

"All this formality isn't called for," Chakotay insisted. "We're not on a starship, and we're both the same rank. Call me Chakotay."

"All right, Chakotay. You can call me Will."

"So, Will," Chakotay began, "How has everything been going for you?"

"Pretty well, actually," was Will's reply. "After this shore leave, I'm gong back to the Enterprise, and who knows from there."

Chakotay nodded. "I must say, I was surprised after we returned to Earth and found that you didn't have your own command."

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: As long as Jean-Luc Picard is in the captain's chair, I intend to serve as his first officer."

Dani, from the kitchen, watched Will and her father interact. "I thought you said that Dad didn't like Will?" she said to her mother, being sure to keep her voice low to prevent it from carrying into the living room.

"No, he likes Will just fine," Kathryn said. "He respects him as a person and as an officer. He just doesn't like the idea of _you_ and Will."

"Me and Will?" Dani looked at Kathryn. "What does he mean by that?"

"You tell me? Is there any meaning to it?"

"No, not yet-" Dani caught herself.

"But there will be, I assume," Kathryn surmised from her daughter's unfinished statement.

Dani sighed. "I don't know. I like him, and you know I've always had a little bit of a crush on him."

"There's a big difference between a crush and a relationship," Kathryn pointed out.

"I know. You know what - right now, we're just friends, and to tell you the truth, I'd be really surprised if anything other than that developed."

"Well, you have no need to worry about any of that," Kathryn said, smoothing her daughter's hair. "Once you get to the Academy-"

"Mom, you're going to jinx me. I haven't even taken the first exam, yet."

xxx

Ten minutes later, Dani, Will, Kathryn, and Chakotay were around the dining room table enjoying a dinner that featured a baked fish entree.

"You know who else we should've invited tonight?" Dani asked. Everyone shook his head.

"No," Chakotay answered for everyone. He and Kathryn occupied the seats at the ends of the table, and Will and Dani sat across from each other. "Who?"

"Icheb."

"Oh, yes," Kathryn agreed. "And Seven."

Will seemed a bit confused for a moment, but then his memory caught up with him. "Oh, you mean the liberated Borg," he said.

"Yes," Kathryn said.

"I still can't grasp the concept of having a former Borg as a crewmember," Will said. "I mean, just a few years ago, we were fighting them for our right to exist."

"At Wolf 359," Chakotay said. "Yes, I know."

Actually, Will had been speaking of the First Contact incident, but he didn't make any attempt to correct Chakotay. That mission was extremely classified because of its sensitive temporal nature.

"Just another one of those reminders of just how unpredictable life can be," Chakotay continued.

"Most definitely," Will agreed. "Especially if the life you lead is in Starfleet. But I guess you all should be the ones giving the lectures on this subject matter."

"Perhaps," Chakotay said. "Perhaps not. Everyone experiences changes in his or her life. Some are just more extraordinary than others. Take Icheb and Seven, for example. Two Borg who were liberated from the collective. Once that notion was thought totally impossible. It'd only been tried on two previous occasions: after Captain Picard was assimiliated and when a drone named Hugh was liberated. So, when we considered performing the procedure on Seven, we knew it could be done."

"Dad, you have to admit that Seven's case was somewhat different from Captain Picard's," Dani said joining the conversation. She'd been young when Captain Picard had been assimilated, but she was avid at keeping up with history. "I would've thought Seven's process more difficult because she'd been a drone for almost her entire life. The Captain was only a drone for, what?" She looked at Will for confirmation, "A few days, a week maybe?"

Will nodded.

"I knew it was something like that," Dani said. "The same goes for Icheb; he was part of the collective for a little while before he was liberated."

"How old is Icheb?" Will asked.

"He's around my age," Dani replied. "Maybe a few years older."

"Any plans for the Academy?"

"Oh, yes," Kathryn said. "He's already completed a few courses via subspace transmissions. So he's already got a bit of a head start."

"He hasn't been interviewed, yet," Chakotay said, "but he passed the written exam with flying colors, and I'm sure he'll have no trouble talking with a few Academy officials."

"The first Borg in Starfleet," Will chimed. "That'll be something. I'd like to meet him."

"That can be arranged," Dani said. "He's sharing an apartment with Seven, isn't he?"

"Yes," said Kathryn. "Until he goes away to the Academy."

"I wouldn't mind seeing everyone again before we went back to Indiana," Chakotay said after taking a sip of his tea.

"Me either," Kathryn said. She put her fork down. "We've got to have a dinner or a party or something."

"I have an idea," Will said. Everyone looked in his direction. "Dani's birthday is in a few weeks. Why don't you have some kind of function for that, and invite everyone to attend?"

Dani, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at one another.

"That sounds good to me," Kathryn said. Chakotay nodded. Kathryn looked at the soon-to-be guest of honor. "Dani?"

"Yeah," she said, beaming. "That'd be great."

xxx

"So, this Icheb fellow," Will began, "your parents seem very fond of him." He and Dani were taking an evening stroll through San Francisco. They had offered to help Kathryn and Chakotay clear away the dishes, but the captain and commander had insisted that they could take care of it themselves.

"They are," Dani said in reply to Will's observation. "And rightly so. Icheb's a good guy. He's a real friend."

"Really?" Will asked. There was something implied behind that 'really.'

"Yes."

"And were you and Icheb ever more than just friends?"

A mock gasp of shock escaped Dani's lips. "Commander - that is a question of an extremely personal nature."

"Since when? You always pried into my love life. I'm just returning the favor," Will defended. "It's supposed to be a sign that I care."

"We dated for a few weeks but decided that our relationship would best be served by simply being friends."

"Ah. And how long ago was this?"

"What is this? Why the sudden interest in all the gritty details of my short love life?"

"I can't care?"

Dani relented and decided to tell Will what he wanted. Maybe he'd leave the topic alone after this. "This was...let's see...about three or four years ago."

"Oh." Will nodded, and Dani thought that was the end of it. "First boyfriend?" She'd thought wrong.

"Yes," Dani replied with annoyance. 'Maybe that was the last one,' Dani thought hopefully.

"First kiss?" Will asked.

Dani sighed, displaying her annoyance with the current subject as if it weren't already apparent by the tone of her voice. "Yes," she said. 'That has to be it,' Dani thought. Will wouldn't dare go any farther. He was a gentleman.

"Imzadi?" Will asked.

'Or so I thought,' Dani thought as she and Will stopped walking. Actually, she'd been hoping that Will wouldn't ask her about sex, which he didn't (not that there'd be anything to tell, anyway...). But what he had asked was just as personal. She didn't mind telling him, though. They'd always been open with each other.

"No," said Dani, replying to Will's inquiry. She started walking again. Will joined her. "I haven't found my Imzadi, yet," Dani added.

"Maybe you have, and you just don't know it," Will suggested.

"I think I would know if Icheb was my Imzadi."

"Who said I was talking about Icheb?"

Dani stopped dead in her tracks again and looked up at Will. Who was he talking about?

"I haven't been involved with anyone else," Dani said.

"Maybe it's someone you haven't been involved with - yet," Will suggested again.

"What are you talking about?"

"No," Will said, shaking his head. "Nothing. Just something to think about."

Dani nodded slowly. She let the matter slip from her mind, but not completely. Just for the night, as she and Will continued their walk through the city.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

May 26th - Dani Janeway's 20th birthday. She, Kathryn, and Chakotay had decided that a small gathering at the apartment would suffice, and the whole affair had worked out wonderfully. Many _Voyager_ crewmembers attended, as did other friends, such as Will, and family. They'd all come bearing gifts and goodwill.

"I didn't expect this to turn out so well," Chakotay whispered to Kathryn, as he surveyed the filled apartment.

"Me either," Kathryn whispered back. "I expected many people to be too busy to attend." She watched Dani, who was standing across the room in the center of a group that consisted mostly of _Voyager_ alumni. "I'm glad they didn't have anything better to do."

"I hear you've got the Academy test in a few days," Tom Paris said. He belonged to the group that hovered around Dani.

"Yes, the day after tomorrow," Dani replied.

"You aren't nervous, are you?" Harry Kim asked. He'd been the Ops officer on Voyager, and after spending seven years as an ensign, had finally been promoted to lieutenant.

"No. It won't be any different from the stuff I've been doing for the past seven years. What I'm worried about is the interview."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Harry said. "You don't have anything to worry about. Just go in there and be yourself. Don't go in there praising the 'Fleet'. That's not what they want to hear. Trust me."

"Dani, why would the interview concern you more than the written exam?" Icheb asked.

"I don't know," Dani said. "I guess it's because when you take the written exam, it's just you...and the computer. With the interview, it's you and a few Starfleet brass."

"Dani, you've probably spent more time with the brass than all of us put together," Tom said.

"Not like this."

"Nonsense," Tom insisted. "You're on a first-name basis with the entire admirality."

Everyone in the little group, except Icheb, broke into laughter. Dani glanced across the room and caught Will's gaze. He was standing in a group with _Voyager's_ Chief Engineer, B'Elanna Torres, and holographic doctor.

"It's about that time," Tom said.

"What time?" Dani asked.

"Time for you, the guest of honor, to make her speech," Tom revealed.

Dani started to protest. "No, no-" But Tom had already started to process of gaining the other guest's attention. He picked up a spoon from a nearby table and started to lightly tap it against his punch glass.

"Attention, everybody!" Tom announced. "Attention!" Everyone turned to Tom. "The birthday girl-" Harry coughed quite noticeably. Tom looked at him and was silently reminded of something. "Oh, excuse me," Tom said. "The birthday _woman_ has an announcement to make." He looked at Dani, who was blushing. "Ms. Janeway?"

Will immediately noticed how beautiful Dani looked. He'd initially noticed when he'd first seen her after _Voyager's_ return, and he'd noticed it a few moments ago when his eyes had met hers from across the room, but to him, it seemed that she grew even more beautiful each time he looked at her. 'I'm glad no one here is a telepath,' Will thought. 'At least, I _hope_ no one here is.'

Dani smiled, somewhat embarrassed by all the attention. "Thank you, everyone," she said. "I know this wasn't a surprise party, but I'm still astounded by the number of people who actually showed up. I didn't expect so many. No offense or anything, but don't you people have lives?" There was a wave of light chuckles. "No, really, thanks for coming. I really do appreciate it. Um...this is one of the best birthdays I've had in a long while. Not only because I'm finally 20, but also because I get to spend it here, on Earth, with all of you. Thank you."

Everyone clapped. As everyone once again broke off into groups, Dani abandoned the party for the balcony. She walked over to the railing, drink in hand, and stared out at the city. The Golden Gate Bridge at night. 'So beautiful,' she thought. There was a time, about one year ago today, actually, when she thought she'd never see that sight again.

Will stopped at the balcony doors. He'd expected to find Dani out there, but she looked so engrossed in her thoughts that he didn't want to disturb her. But she must've realized that someone was standing in the doorway because she turned her head. When Will realized that he'd been spotted, he decided that he might as well join her. He stepped out onto the balcony, closed the door behind him, and joined Dani at the rail.

"Will," Dani said.

"Hey," Will said, stepping to her side. "I just wanted to tell you again, happy birthday."

"Thanks - again."

"Also, I want you to know that I'm proud of you."

"You? Proud of me? What for?"

"I know you don't like people saying this, but we all know it's true even if you don't think so."

Dani let out a frustrated sigh. "If this is about the Academy-"

"It isn't. Don't get me wrong, we're all proud of you for that, too, but that's not what I was going to talk about. We're especially proud of you for what you've been through and how you went through it."

"I did what anyone else would have done."

"Maybe, but it's the way you did it. Your attitude. From what I hear, you gave so many people so much hope. They looked at you, and they didn't see you, the person who probably had the most cause to complain, complaining. So, they felt like they didn't have the right to complain. And if you don't complain, that means you hope."

"Oh, I complained. I just didn't do it in public."

"And it's just that kind of thinking that makes a good command officer."

Dani smiled, waiving the usual 'I haven't taken the test, yet' speech. "Command?"

"Yeah," Will said.

"I never really considered going to command school," Dani said. "I've been pretty focused on Starfleet Medical."

"You should think about it. I think you'd make a good command officer. How could you not? It is in your blood, after all."

Dani nodded. "I'll think about it."

"Congratulations, Dani," Will said. "On the birthday." He bent down and kissed Dani on the cheek.

As Kathryn passed by the balcony door, he saw Will bend over and kiss Dani on the cheek. Any other person kissing Dani, and she would have immediately dismissed it, but since it was Will, for some reason, she couldn't let it go as harmless, as she walked away from the door.

'If only that had been a few inches to the right,' Dani thought, of Will's kiss.

'If only that could have been a few inches to the left,' Will thought, as his lips were leaving Dani's face. The thought caught him by surprise. 'Where did that come from?' he asked himself. It was an empty question. He knew where it had come from. It had come from the same place that prompted him to do what he was about to do next. Quite unexpectedly, Will bent down and kissed Dani again, this time squarely on the lips.

When they parted, they were both shocked. Neither of them had expected that. As a result, neither of them really knew what to say. That's when Tom Paris unknowingly saved the day (or the night, rather).

Standing in the doorway, Tom said, "Hey, Dani - get back in here. You're missing your own party."

Dani wandered away from the rail and walked back into the apartment and the party.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Deanna Troi, the _Enterprise's_ resident counselor, sat in a chair in the temporary office provided to her by Starfleet. "I must say, I was thoroughly surprised when I saw your name in my appointment log," she said. "You know you don't need an appointment to talk to me."

Will Riker sat on the sofa across from the counselor. "I know," he said. "I just..." his voice trailed. As Deanna observed him, she saw that he was fidgeting, rubbing his hands together and such. Deanna also noticed how he was leaning forward, sitting on the edge of the sofa.

"Well, what seems to be bothering you, Will?" Deanna asked.

"I..I think I'm in love, Deanna," Will said.

Deanna's face lit up. "Will - that's wonderful!"

"Is it?" Will asked cynically.

"Of course it is. Who's the lucky woman?"

Will looked Deanna squarely in the eye. "It's Dani."

Deanna's smile didn't exactly fall, but no one would say that she was beaming exactly. "Dani? Dani Janeway?"

Will nodded. "Yeah."

"Will, I get the feeling that you don't think that's a good thing."

"Well, yes and no." Will stood and began to pace the area beside the sofa.

"What do you mean, 'yes and no'?"

"I don't know what I mean. I don't know what any of this means. I just know what I've been feeling since _Voyager_ returned from the Delta Quadrant."

"And what's that?"

Will reclaimed his seat on the couch. "I don't know how to explain it. I guess part of it was seeing her after so long. And I definitely did not expect her to look the way she does. Another part of it is that my hormones kicked in. But that wasn't all. I don't know. I've always felt that she was special. But I always felt more like a friend or a close uncle, maybe. Then she came back, and everything was different."

"You saw her as a woman, and you were attracted to her," Deanna surmised.

"Yes. That's it. That's it exactly. But I think it might be more than just attraction. That's why it scares me."

"Why would it scare you?"

"Because it seems wrong somehow."

"How? Tell me why it would be wrong for you to be in love with Dani."

"It's just that she's so young, and-"

"And? You're telling me that something so insignificant as an age difference is a good reason not to pursue a relationship?"

"It could be." Will knew that wasn't true. "It wouldn't be right."

"Why?" Will didn't have an answer for Deanna. "It sounds to me as if you're trying to convince yourself that any kind of romantic relationship with Dani would be wrong," Deanna said. "I don't think you're buying it."

"You're right; I'm not."

"Why are you fighting this?"

"I don't know," Will said with a sigh.

"How do you feel?"

"What?"

"When you look at Dani, when you spend time with her, how do you feel?"

Will sat back for the first time in his meeting with Deanna. "I love being with her. When I'm with Dani, I feel like I don't ever want our time together to end."

"That's a very strong sentiment," Deanna said. "How does she feel?"

"I don't know," Will admitted. "That's a problem, as well. I kissed her the other night at the party."

"You mean on the cheek."

"No. I mean on the lips. The funny thing is I didn't even plan it. It just happened."

"What was her reaction?"

"I don't know. We were both kind of shocked. And before either one of us could say anything, Tom Paris called her back into the party."

"Unless she makes it absolutely clear that she doesn't want a relationship with you-"

"Like you did when we first met?" Will asked, smiling for the first time that afternoon.

"Like I did when we first met," Deanna agreed, remembering when she'd first met the young lieutenant named Will Riker on Betazed all those years ago.

"We couldn't have been very much older than Dani is now," Will reminisced.

An idea suddenly presented itself as a possible reason for Will's reluctance to enter into a relationship with Dani. "Will, your reasons for not becoming involved with Dani wouldn't happen to stem from the fact that we're Imzadi, would they?"

"I won't lie to you, I have thought about it. I'm not going to say that us being Imzadi would ever keep me from pursuing a serious relationship, but I don't think I'll ever enter into a relationship without thinking about what we had."

"That's true for me also. We're Imzadi, Will. We'll always share a special connection. What I've come to learn over the years is that I'm capable of loving people besides you. Do you believe that you are? That's the question you've got to answer before you enter into this relationship or any other."

xxx

Dani sat in her bedroom working her way through the last of her missed magazines. It had been nearly a week since she finished her final entrance exam and interview, and she needed something to take her mind off the Academy exams she'd just completed. 'And also off of Will Riker,' she thought.

The door chimed. "Just a minute," Dani called. She left her desk and walked into the living room to answer the door. When it slid open, Will was standing in the hallway. "Hi," he said.

"Hey," Dani said. The atmosphere was somehow tempted to become awkward, but Dani wouldn't let it. "Come in."

Will stepped into the apartment, and the doors closed behind him. "I think we're overdue for a talk," he said.

"Me, too," Dani agreed. She walked into her room, and Will followed. "We've...got to talk." She reclaimed her seat at her desk.

"Yes." Will remained standing. "We would've talked sooner, but I knew that you had the exam, and I didn't want you to be distracted. But that's over, so now we have to talk about what happened that night at your party."

"I know," Dani said. Will may not have wanted to distract her before the Academy exam, but that's sure what happened. During the actual testing, she was able to concentrate on the material, but during the lunch break, Dani's mind had drifted to thoughts of Will. "It's been on my mind quite a bit." Will was standing in front of Dani. "What were you thinking?" It sounded more like an admonishment than a genuine question. Will wasn't expecting that kind of reaction from her. He sat down on the nearest thing that would have him, which happened to be Dani's bed.

Dani stood. "I mean, you said you didn't want to distract me before the test. Well what the hell did you think kissing me would accomplish?"

"I don't know," Will replied. He felt like a little like a child being scolded by his mother. "It was just a spontaneous thing."

"So, what did it mean?" Dani asked.

"I don't know."

Dani sat down beside Will on the bed. "Will, what is going on?"

Will looked into Dani's big brown eyes. "I'm falling in love with you," he said quietly.

Dani just stared at Will blankly. She wasn't sure if she'd heard him correctly. When she didn't respond for a few moments, Will became concerned. "Dani?"

"I'm sorry," Dani apologized. "It sounded like you said you were falling in love with me. Did you?"

"Yes."

Dani nodded. "Oh. I see."

"How do you feel?" Will asked.

"It's funny you ask that," Dani said. She told him earnestly, "I don't even know. I've been trying to sort out my feelings for you since before we arrived on Earth. And I still don't know."

"I understand," Will began. "I don't-" He was interrupted by the soft lips that were suddenly brushing against his.

Neither Will nor Dani heard the apartment doors slide open, nor did they hear Chakotay as he called out for Dani. They didn't even hear when Dani's bedroom door opened, and Chakotay entered.

"What the hell?" Chakotay exclaimed. That got Dani and Will's attention. They immediately parted and stood. "Dani - what is going on here?"

Dani honestly didn't know what to say because she honestly didn't know what was going on. Will had come over to talk, and Dani had ended up kissing him - on her bed. She looked at Will. "We'll finish our talk later, Will," she told him.

Will nodded to her. He and Chakotay stared each other down as Will made his way to the door.

After Will was gone, Dani braced herself. She knew one rough discussion with her father was in store.

xxx

"Kathryn, she was kissing him –

on her bed!" Chakotay exclaimed. He and Kathryn were in their bedroom discussing what had taken place that day in their daughter's bedroom. Kathryn was sitting on the bed, and Chakotay was pacing heatedly in front of her.

"She's an adult, Chakotay," Kathryn said. "She has the right to kiss whomever she wants, sleep with whomever she wants, date, marry, whatever. She can do it."

At the utterance of the word 'sleep', Chakotay had stared at Kathryn in disbelief. "Not in my house," he said.

"Pardon, but this isn't even your house," Kathryn reminded him. "As far as Starfleet is concerned, this apartment belongs to them."

"Well, not in my house in Indiana, at least," Chakotay said.

"May I also remind you that we co-own that house," Kathryn said.

"You know what I mean," Chakotay shot.

Kathryn stood. "Chakotay, she's just exploring her options."

Meanwhile, Dani, who'd been listening to her parents discuss the issue at hand, had been trying, unsuccessfully, to raise Will via the comm system. When she got the automated message that relayed for the third time in an hour that Will wasn't home, decided that a trip over to his place might be in order.

xxx

Dani pressed Will's door chime. A few moments later, the apartment doors slid open, and Will appeared in the doorway. Dani's presence had obviously taken Will by surprise.

"Dani?" he said. It came out as a question.

"Hi," Dani said. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Will said. He stood to the side, allowing Dani access to the apartment. Dani stepped in, and the doors slid shut behind her. "What are you doing here? Your father-"

"I don't care what my father wants," Dani said. "I know he thinks that this is a really bad idea. He's all but forbidden me from seeing you anymore."

"I can't say I blame him," Will said. "I probably wouldn't want my daughter seeing me, either. How'd you get away?"

"He and my mother were in their bedroom talking."

"About us, no doubt," Will surmised.

Dani nodded. "They probably don't even know I'm gone, yet. I just walked out." Will nodded. Dani continued. "Will, I think we should try this. I mean, I really, really like you; and I think I'd regret it if I passed this up."

"Dani, I don't want to create a rift between you and your parents. I grew up without a mother and without a father, in essence. We weren't very close. Are you sure this is really what you want to do?"

"My parents love me, and if they respect me, then they'll respect my first real decision as an adult."

"It doesn't always work out that way, Dani."

"I can't let them dictate my life."

Will looked down at Dani and realized that she was right. She'd never get anything out of life if she lived only to fulfill her parents' wishes.

xxx

When Dani and Will entered the Janeways' apartment, they found that Kathryn and Chakotay had abandoned their bedroom for the living room. They stood immediately when Dani and Will entered.

"What the hell is he going here?" Chakotay asked. He looked at Will.

"I brought him here so we could all talk," Dani said.

"There's nothing to talk about," Chakotay insisted.

"There's plenty," Kathryn said. Chakotay looked at her.

"Thanks, Mom," Dani said. "Now, everyone, please have a seat." She looked at Will, indicating that he should sit, as well. He walked over and took the chair beside the couch that Kathryn and Chakotay were occupying. Dani remained standing in front of the three of them. "Now," she began. "There seems to be some kind of question as to my decision-making capacity around here."

"Dani - why would you think that?" Chakotay asked.

"It seems that way to me," Dani replied. "Every decision that I make about my future is questioned by everyone. It's like you don't think I know what I'm doing."

"Dani-" Chakotay began, but didn't finish.

"-I'm not finished, yet," Dani said, demanding the attention of the others in the room. "I know that you all are trying to look out for my best interests, but, damn it, I've got to live my own life. If that means I want to go to the Academy -" She looked at Kathryn before continuing. "-or that I want to date Will -" She looked at Chakotay, "-then so be it. You guys don't want me to make any mistakes, but I will, no matter what you do or what you say. Just let me make them and learn from them. Like you did."

Will, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at each other, as what Dani was saying finally sunk in. Dani's birthday had been days ago, but it was tonight that these individuals, especially Chakotay, were seeing just how much Dani had grown. He felt like an idiot for not having more faith in his daughter. He looked up at his daughter, 20 years old, standing there, all grown up. He looked at her for the first time, not as the little girl she had once been, but as the adult she had become.


End file.
